Since 80% of drives are done alone, the Solo electric three-wheeler features only one seat.
Sep 21, 2021 at 8:21am ET
Canada’s ElectraMeccanica announced the start of US customer deliveries of its three-wheeled, single-seat Solo EV on October 4.
The company will hand over keys to select early reservation holders and the company’s first fleet owners at a special launch event scheduled for October 4 in Los Angeles.
Deliveries to other reservation holders and customers “will steadily increase as production continues to ramp,” ElectraMeccanica said in a press release.
The Canadian EV startup began production of the Solo EV a year ago in China with its manufacturing partner and strategic investor, Zongshen Industrial Group. The initial production vehicles were mainly used for retail expansion, test drive events, fleet demonstrations, marketing, and final on-road engineering enhancements.
“This is the ‘Key Moment’ we’ve all been eagerly anticipating: We’re announcing the delivery of the first SOLOs to excited customers. We are revolutionizing the transportation space by providing consumers, fleets, and rideshare users a purpose-built solution to solve today’s urban driving challenges.”
Paul Rivera, President and CEO of ElectraMeccanica
Gallery: ElectraMeccanica Solo EV
12 Photos
Described as “a purpose-built, three-wheeled, all-electric solution for the urban environment,” the Solo EV is engineered for a single occupant, promising “a unique driving experience for the environmentally conscious consumer.”
The electric three-wheeler has a range of 100 miles (161 km) and a top speed of 80 mph (129 km/h), which means it can tackle highways when needed. Charging the battery from zero to 85% on a Level 2 charger takes 2.5 hours.
The tiny EV’s safety features include front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, roll bar, and torque-limiting control. It also offers convenience features like power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, and a Bluetooth entertainment system.
The ElectraMeccanica Solo starts at $18,500 in the US, but the Canadian company has retail outlets in only five western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Customers can reserve a Solo by paying a $250 fully refundable deposit.
The start of customer deliveries follows the recent introduction of the new Solo Cargo EV fleet and commercial version and the May groundbreaking of the company’s 235,000 sq ft (21,832 sq m) US assembly facility and engineering technical center in Mesa, Arizona.
